"The Wizard of Oz": How Ozzie Smith Became a Baseball Legend

[@the_mike_essen_show2484]

Ozzie Smith’s defense and Magic Johnson’s passing are the most exciting highlights in sports

[@BBUYTTV]

That’s a good point. Their highlights are so fun to watch! Thank you for the comment!

[@the_mike_essen_show2484]

@@BBUYTTV my pleasure!!!

[@wizard1687]

As a child of the 80s, I concur

[@BBUYTTV]

@@wizard1687 love it!

[@BewareofDarkness44]

I live in St. Louis and Ozzie was my favorite player when I was a kid. I feel fortunate that I got to see him play many times over the years. There were some great Cardinals teams in the 80s. Fast on the bases, and they excelled at small ball. Ozzie is a great ambassador of the game, helps with coaching during spring training, and does lots of charitable work around town. He's a good man.

[@BBUYTTV]

While I didn’t grow up in St. Louis, I always admired Ozzie from afar. He is a truly unique player. There is no one similar in today’s game. I really miss his style of play. Thank you for the comment!

[@thomasfrancis2823]

Ozzie Smith in my opinion is the greatest shortstop to ever play the game bar none. He was that once in a lifetime type of player. I may be a little biased since I'm a lifelong Cardinals fan, but that's my opinion. Have a great day.

[@BBUYTTV]

He was definitely one in a million! Thank you for the comment

[@theramplocal]

Cardinals fan here, obviously I love the wizard but he is truly an all time great. He was a character that stood out in our glory days of 80s /90s baseball

[@BBUYTTV]

@@theramplocal no doubt about that…sadly there are no similar players now. I guess baseball has decided his style of play is no longer valuable enough. Thank you for the comment!

[@jeffhentges2963]

I agree He that guy is amazing

[@nekedransmith2760]

Not a cardinals fan but no doubt the 🐐 SS of all time

[@VidaBlue317]

He was a gymnast who played baseball - in a certain sense, the greatest athlete ever. Not the strongest or fastest, but the most agile person in any sport I've seen. EDIT: He did a "How To Play Shortstop" video once, and in one segment he takes grounders and throws it to first base without looking at the base (essentially blind)... Every throw was still on the money.

[@BBUYTTV]

There is a lot of truth to that. He was an amazing shortstop and you were always waiting for him to make an amazing play. Thank you for the comment!

[@warrenspeaks]

Outstanding content.

[@Tafsman]

My absolute favorite player of all time!

[@BBUYTTV]

He was a great one! Thank you for your comment!

[@kincamell2]

Amazing.

[@BBUYTTV]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wbdrugstrat]

As a kid, I remember admiring those St. Louis teams. I lived in the same neighbourhood as Omar Vizquel, and he was an up and coming athlete. I remember people talking about this local kid as the next Ozzie Smith. I remember that I highly doubted it. Ozzie may very well have been my favourite player as a kid, mainly because he was like a super hero when taking the field with his back-flip. Him and Gary Coleman were my favourite players on that team.

[@BBUYTTV]

Those were some exciting St. Louis teams. I liked watching Willie McGee on those teams as well. Thank you for sharing your memory!

[@ticnatz]

I think you meant Vince Coleman. And despite some domestic issues, Vizquel also belongs in the Hall....

[@BBUYTTV]

@@ticnatz correct! 🤣🤣🤣 it would have been pretty funny to see Gary Coleman trying to steal all of those bases like Vince did.

[@TL2354]

Gary Coleman?

[@scottrackley4457]

I saw him play twice live in St Louis. The camera angles really don't do justice of just how much ground he could cover, and when he got there, he caught it. Every time.

[@BBUYTTV]

Unbelievable range! Thank you for sharing!

[@gabrielv.2647]

He was a wizard with the glove,speed, range, great arm and a great hitter. A true natural leadoff hitter.

[@BBUYTTV]

Agreed. Unbelievable with the glove and got better at the plate over the course of his career. I often wonder how he would fit into today’s game since he wasn’t a power hitter. Thank you for the comment.

[@gabrielv.2647]

@@BBUYTTV absolutely right he would be rare in today's game, same type of player I think about often as another true lead off pesky hitter like smith was would be a J pierre. Grind out at bats and would make you get him out, rarely gave at bats away to pitchers just like Smith. Truly a rare at the SS position Smith will always be 💯🙏 New to your channel and loving the content so far. Congrats 🙏💯🤙🔥

[@BBUYTTV]

@@gabrielv.2647 these types of player are a dying breed for sure. Especially at the shortstop position, which typically has big power hitters playing the position. I would like to see more variety in todays game. Thank you for your kind words on our channel, I really appreciate it! We publish twice a week, Friday and Monday. Thank you for your comment!

[@gringobronx7670]

He wasn't a great hitter bro

[@BBUYTTV]

@@gringobronx7670 I would say average to slightly above average. You don't have a career as long as he had without being at least a good hitter.

[@GizmoBeach]

No-one used Astroturf to their advantage like The Oz when he went from SD to StL. 😊

[@BBUYTTV]

No doubt, it enhanced his abilities further.

[@IRuiz805]

I live about 30-40 minutes away from Cal Poly SLO and I had never known he played college baseball for Cal Poly.

[@BBUYTTV]

That’s cool! You learn something new everyday 😀

[@michaelangelioliebers7601]

Ozzie best hitting season finished 4th NL MVP season 1987 104 runs batted 303 average 182 hits 40 doubles 75 RBI 43 SB and trip world series did win the 1982 world series

[@ChrisArchibald-tt7op]

Got to see him his final year in Montreal

[@BBUYTTV]

Wow I didn’t realize his final year was in Montreal

[@ChrisArchibald-tt7op]

Against montreal

[@NorthwestMoOutdoors]

Im having dinner with him tonight. Wonderful man

[@BBUYTTV]

That’s awesome! He seems like he would be a great guy. Enjoy your dinner

[@jon-eriksuermann]

My all-time favorite player. Probably why the man sucker for great defensive players like Yadier Molina, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds, Nolan Arenado, and Ken Boyer

[@BBUYTTV]

I like to watch offense as much as the next person, but to watch a defensive master like Ozzie and the other players you mentioned is just as fun! Thank you for your comment!

[@randyleinen2035]

He can't be human athletics defy normal ballplayer he's amazing

[@morganjacob1195]

Now shortstops need to hit 25 HR a season

[@BBUYTTV]

It's definitely a different era for shortstops. Thank you for your comment!

[@GeorgeYoung-co3rr]

Maybe the Greatest shortstop ever. I never saw anyone better. But no way the best hitter. Not good at all as a hitter. But yes the best at playing Short stop

[@wobblertv8083]

And he went to the fourth dimension in the simpsons 😅

[@BBUYTTV]

Ha!

[@larrydanadavid2435]

Alan Trammel

[@BBUYTTV]

Alan Trammel was good but couldn’t touch Ozzie defensively. Thank you for your comment

[@jamesdavis6036]

The guy averaged less than 2 HR's per year & 44 RBI's over 18 years. He had a lifetime BA of only .262 Yet they put him in the HOF because he knew how to do backflips on the field. You really can't make this stuff up!

[@BBUYTTV]

@@jamesdavis6036 you must have never seen him play. The defense alone earned his spot

[@jamesdavis6036]

@@BBUYTTV I saw him play. I saw shortstop's play as good D with a slightly higher batting avg. who never sniffed the HOF. That's how it should be. Most in the HOF are 2 dimensional players. He was a 1 dimensional player.

[@johnkatsaros7340]

Padres should have kept him.

[@BBUYTTV]

@@johnkatsaros7340 history may have been different if they did

[@windlesSpice]

AI script?

[@jonnyt16]

The Wizard of Oz is the perfect nickname for him considering he is a cowardly lion. He threw not just one, but multiple cheap shots at Will Clark. Granted I'm a Giants fan and #22 is my all time favorite player, but Ozzie is still a coward in my book.

[@BBUYTTV]

Thank you for sharing your opinion

[@11004bill]

Can from a family. See it’s not hard.

[@TL2354]

Not a jar?

[@Leafgreen1976]

He was a glove man. Everyone knows he was a below average hitter.

[@BBUYTTV]

Definitely great with the glove but I would argue he was average to above average at the plate…he just had no power

[@VidaBlue317]

If we're being honest, hitting is obviously the most important skill for position players - as they say, "if you can hit, they will find a place to hide you in the field." But Ozzie was just on another level when it came to defense. Though he was actually a competent hitter, his glove was so good that hitting was just an added bonus. Is there literally anyone in today's game you could say that about? I can't think of any right off hand.

[@BBUYTTV]

@@VidaBlue317 great point, his defensive abilities were so good he could just be an average to slightly above average hitter with no power. His defense literally stop runs from ever being scored against his team acting almost like offense in reverse. I don't think there is anyone in today's game that you could say about, the game has just changed too much. By the way, I love Vida Blue handle...he was a force for the A's in his time.

[@luv2sail66]

His hitting actually improved somewhat in the mid to late 80s.

[@BBUYTTV]

@@luv2sail66 I agree. good enough to win a silver slugger award in 1987 which goes to the best hitter at their position. Also finished runner up for the MVP that year behind Andre Dawson (who had a monster year). Thank you for the comment!